TREND OF BUSINESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20525, 28 March 1930, Page 15

TREND OF BUSINESS.

POSITION IN UNITED STATES. REDUCTION OF HAND LABOUR. TRADE COMMISSIONER'S ADDRESS "The Current Trend in American Business " was the subject of an address given by Mr. Julian B. Foster, United States Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, 4 at the monthly luncheon meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr. Foster said that on his return to the United States last year, after 4£ years in Australia and New Zealand, he had been impressed by tho tremendous growth made by a number of industries. The electrical industry had gone ahead more than any other. Mechanical power had played a very large part in America's development. The tendency, in the household as well as in industry, was to do away with hand labour and use mechanical labour wherever possible. He congratulated New Zealand on having one of the greatest natural electrical resources in the world, and said lie believed that it would result in much improved and easier methods of living. Great developments in the use of motorcars and aircraft also impressed Mr. Foster. The 1924 slogan of " A car for every family " had been replaced in 1929 by "A car for every member of every family," and it was surprising how many families had several cars. He expected that the output this year would fall slightly below the record of last year, 5,500,000 motors, but not to the extent which some might expect. Commercial aviation now had the effective co-opera-tion of the Government. Three-quarters of the landing grounds in the United States were commercially owned, but the Government was helping to extend the number to provide grounds approximately 100 miles apart. Referring to' business relations, Mr. Foster said the large number of mergers recently effected was an indication of the realisation by big business " that it was necessary to eliminate waste in production and distribution. American business men and manufacturers did not try to hide anything from their fellows. For instance, a motor manufacturer would find the plant of a rival open for his inspection, if he made proper application, and details of working and organisation would be freely discussed. , The establishment of the Farm Control Board was having very satisfactory results in the direction of solving the problems with which the farmers of the United States bad been faced, Mr. Foster believed. As a result of its recommendations, co-operative marketing associations had been formed, and Congress had put aside 5,000,000 dollars for lending to farmers.